Secretary-General António Guterres launches the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Coordination Compact on 6 December 2018. At left is Mr. Vladimir Voronkov, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Office.
UN Photo/Mark Garten

Mr. Voronkov, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism briefs on the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy: Advancing Women’s Leadership and Participation during a Side Event of the 62nd Commission on the Status of Women. Sitting on the left is Ms. Coninsx, Executive Director, United Nations Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate.
UN Photo/ UNOCT

Mr. Voronkov, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism meets with Victims of Terrorism in Afghanistan at the occasion of the International Day of Remembrance of and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism on 21 August.
UN Photo/ Fardin Waezi

Under-Secretary-General Vladimir Voronkov speaks to participants of the High-level Conference of Heads of Counter-Terrorism Agencies of Member States on 28 June 2018.
UN Photo/Mark Garten

Youth Delegates of the UN Alliance of Civilization pitched ideas about improving digital literacy, grassroots community engagement and preventing violent extremism to Mr. Voronkov, Head of the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism on 20 November 2018.
UN Photo/ Mark Austin Ladanan

Ms. Coninsx, Assistant Secretary-General and Executive Director of the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) and Mr. Vladimir Voronkov, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) during a joint visit to Iraq in March 2018 during which they expressed the concerted efforts of the United Nations to support Iraq’s fight against terrorism.
UN Photo/ UNAMI

28 Nov - Vladimir Voronkov, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Office, addresses the Security Council meeting on threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts.

28 Sept - A wide view of the Security Council meeting on threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts.

UN Secretary- General António Gutteres (centre) stands with participants of the High-Level United Nations-Central Asian Dialogue on Implementing the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy in Central Asia in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan on 13 June 2017. UN Photo

The General Assembly approved on 15 June 2017 the establishment of the UN Office of Counter-terrorism to help Member States implement the Organization's global counter-terrorism strategy. UN Photo/Kim Haughton

Violent extremists have carried out bombings in the Somali capital Mogadishu on several occasions. This photo shows the aftermath of a car bomb attack on the city's Banadir Beach hotel on 25 August 2016. Photo: UN Somalia

Funeral ceremony in honor of two Chadian blue helmets who were killed in the attack of their camp in Aguelhoc, northern Mali, Bamako 10 October 2016, MINUSMA Photo: Sylvain Liechti

The United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism was established through the adoption of General Assembly resolution 71/291 on 15 June 2017. Mr. Vladimir Ivanovich Voronkov was appointed as Under-Secretary-General of the Office on 21 June 2017.

As suggested by Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in his report (A/71/858) on the Capability of the United Nations to Assist Member States in implementing the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force and the UN Counter-Terrorism Centre, initially established in the Department of Political Affairs were moved into a new Office of Counter-Terrorism headed by an Under-Secretary–General.

The new Under-Secretary-General will provide strategic leadership to United Nations counter-terrorism efforts, participate in the decision-making process of the United Nations and ensure that the cross-cutting origins and impact of terrorism are reflected in the work of the United Nations.

The Office of Counter-Terrorism has five main functions:

(a) provide leadership on the General Assembly counter-terrorism mandates entrusted to the Secretary-General from across the United Nations system;

(b) enhance coordination and coherence across the 38 Global Counter-Terrorism Coordination Compact (former CTITF) Task Force entities to ensure the balanced implementation of the four pillars of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy;

(c) strengthen the delivery of United Nations counter-terrorism capacity-building assistance to Member States;

(d) improve visibility, advocacy and resource mobilization for United Nations counter-terrorism efforts; and

(e) ensure that due priority is given to counterterrorism across the United Nations system and that the important work on preventing violent extremism is firmly rooted in the Strategy.

The Office will aim to have a close relationship with Security Council bodies and Member States, strengthening existing and developing new partnerships through regular travel and attendance at counter-terrorism-related meetings.

The creation of the Office is the first major institutional reform undertaken by the Secretary-General.

Statement to the Security Council on 8th SG report on the threat posed by ISIL (Da’esh) to international peace and security